I've Just Seen a Face
by comptine
Summary: “You forgot your- UGH!” Her tiny fist flies out, catching me in the stomach. I bend over, clutching my stomach. She grabs her scarf and walks away, leaving me gasping for breath. And that’s how I met her. I didn’t even know her name. She punched me. Tokka


HAAAAAAAPPYYYYYY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOOOOOU!

HAAAAAAAAPPPPPPY BIIIIIRTHDAY DEAR PASHAKOVALEVFANGIRL205!

HAAAAAAPPPPPY BIIIIIIRRRRRRTHDAY TO YOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!

Sorry it's early but I thought it could be an early prezzie!

:D

* * *

_**I've Just Seen a Face**_

_**(Here and There)**_

**Act One: **Enter Female Lead (Toph Beifong) and Male Lead (Sokka Kirima)

Life is pretty normal. I'm mildly popular have had a few girlfriends here and there, though none have really lasted that long.

High school is the gong show that it is, jocks failing miserably against our rival town's team. Music kids playing gigs at conventions and going to concerts. Artists being featured in the newspaper for an amazing abstract piece.

Me? I'm different. You may have heard of me, I'm Sokka Kirima. Ring any bells? Played the Tin Man? Peter Pan? You must've heard of me, I've been in the newspaper six times. I'm a star!

"Sokka Kirima!" The glasses flash and the whiteboard marker misses my head and hits Hahn who is sitting behind me. "If you do not plan on paying attention at least pretend that you care."

"Yeah. Sorry Mr. Pakku." I sit up, stretching and looking at the board. To my right my best friend gives me a fleeting smile. His scarred eye focuses on the front of the room where the teacher has found a new marker and continues his notes of trigonometry.

The bell rings and there's a flurry of movement as everything is thrown into bags and bags are thrown over shoulders and everyone piles out of the room. "Sokka." Pakku's voice calls at me through the throng of people. I look at Zuko and he leans against the door, waiting for me.

"Yes?" He doesn't look at me, but remains bent over papers, scribbling notes here and there.

"That's the second time you've fallen asleep in my class in two weeks." Scribble, scribble, X here, checkmark there.

"I know. I'm sorry I've been sleeping really badly." It's a lame excuse.

The scribbling stops for a moment and cold eyes regard me over the rim of glasses. "See that it doesn't happen again."

"Don't worry. It won't."

"Run along then, I'm sure you have some more activities to do than argue with an old math teacher." The red pen is writing again and I leave quietly.

"I swear that man has something against me." I complain to Zuko a few minutes later. He grumbles and continues to nibble on his apple. Lunch is a perfect time of day. Not too early and not too late. Zuko and I are alone at our table. Katara's at the cafeteria, buying food while Aang is outside, cloud gazing. He's a weird kid but you gotta love him.

"Maybe it's because you keep falling asleep in his class, never do the homework and barely attention when you are conscious." He doesn't even need a sarcastic tone for me to know he's being cynical.

"You're just jealous because I'm going to get this year's lead in the Spring Play."

"Why in the world would I be jealous of that? Every year you try out and every year you make it. I don't care about drama in any way, shape or form. I have enough drama to deal with at home." He says the last sentence bitterly. I can understand why, a sister who torments him, a missing mother and a disapproving father.

"Still. You're just jealous."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

"Argument over." Zuko stands up and walks over to Katara, talking to her while she collects her change.

"Is anyone sitting here?" A girl is gripping a chair at my table. Her long black hair is hanging limply in her eyes and down her back. Her skin is pale and a bag is slung lazily over her shoulder. "I've never seen her before."

"Um. No." I say. She grins and sits down, unpacking her bag she pulls out a small bag of potatoes chips. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

"No. I'm new." She opens her mouth as if to talk again but a small ringing comes from her bag. "Hold on." She reaches down and picks out a phone. "Y'ello?"

A voice starts from the other end, "Where are you? How did your first day go?" I don't hear anymore because she's picked up her bag and is walking away.

"Who was that?" Katara asks, putting her tray down. Zuko sits beside her and starts eating her fries while waving at Aang to tell him to come in.

"I'm not sure." I notice a green cloth hanging over the chair where the girl had been seconds before. "I'll be right back, she forgot her scarf." I run down the stairs, looking for the girl. I whip around a corner and slam right into her. She flies back, her phone clattering to a stop ten feet away.

"What the hell!?" She yelled. I finally saw her eyes, clouded over. She stands up and walks straight over to me.

"You forgot your- UGH!" Her tiny fist flies out, catching me in the stomach. I bend over, clutching my stomach. She grabs her scarf and walks away, leaving me gasping for breath.

And that's how I met her. I didn't even know her name. She punched me. D:

* * *

**Act Two:** Toph sits, crossing her legs and looking at Sokka expectantly.

"Anybody else trying out for Eliza?" Mr. Iroh was waving a script around. I had already won the part of Kevin, the dashing youth and we were just waiting to find my counterpart, Eliza, the young, confused beauty. I sit in the front row, beside me is my sister, acting as Evelyn, Eliza's quiet and shy friend who harbors a love for James. Zuko, though saying he wasn't faintly interested, is on her other side, looking moody. He didn't try out of Kevin but got the part of Kevin's brooding, best friend, James, whom has a crush on Eliza.

"I will." We all turn in our seat to see who enters dramatically. At the top of the stairs stands the girl I've only seen once before. She walks down the stairs, poised and looking a bit calmer than yesterday.

"And you are?" Mr. Iroh asks, his golden eyes twinkling.

She made her way to the bottom of the stairs, throwing her bag to a seat and staring at the drama teacher. "Toph, Toph Beifong." She said her name as if we should all already know her.

"My dear girl!" Iroh hand pointed rudely at her face, "What are wrong with your eyes?"

Toph smiles, brushing her bangs away so we can all see the opaque green eyes. "I can't see really well. Only stuff that is really, really close."

"Why don't you wear glasses?" Someone calls from the audience.

Toph faces the boy, looking imposing. "What was that?"

"Nothing." He whimpers, sinking back into his seat.

Toph reaches for her bag, extracting a note from it. "Here. I do believe this is audition enough?"

Our drama teacher's eyes scan the paper. "I see." He folds the note carefully into his pocket. "Meet our new Eliza." We stare at him. Toph plunks down in the seat to my left.

"Here are your scripts." Iroh takes a large stack of papers, handing them out to kids. Toph brought her close to her face, nose crinkled up in concentration.

The bell rings. I stand up but Toph's arm shots out, grabbing my shirt, pulling me back into my seat. "Listen. Sorry about yesterday."

"Oh yeah." I try to brush it off. "It's alright."

She raises and eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really. What class do you have next?"

"Um…" she starts laughing. "It's the end of school."

I blush, and attempting to recover I say, "Well, maybe you'd like to go for coffee or something? I know this great place just down the street."

"First," she holds out her hand, "I would like to know your name."

I shake her hand, "Sokka Kirima."

Toph grins at me, letting go of my hand. "Sokka, I can tell you and I are going to be good friends.

* * *

**Act Three:** Sokka kneels, holding Toph's hands in his.

"Hey, is this the," I check the piece of paper, "Beifong residence?"

An official voice answers, "Yes. May I ask whom you are calling for? Lao Beifong, Lily Beifong or Toph Beifong?"

This is weird... "Uh, Toph please."

"Hold." What is this? A call-in center?

"Yo." Her voice answers through the receiver.

"Toph, it's Sokka."

"Hey, what's up?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go over lines?"

"Right now?"

"No, after the show."

"Whoa, no need for the sarcasm. I'll be over in five."

"It's a ten minute walk."

"I said I'll be there in five. Buhbye."

True to her word she was there in five. A few minutes later we were sitting in my room. Toph clutching her script. Eyes closed she was saying her lines. I sit on the bed, waiting for her to finish. She throws the script onto the bed and opens her eyes.

"Are you ready Toph?"

"Yeah, lets do the final scene." She puts on a haughty accent, fanning herself with her hand. "Kevin! What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep since I saw you at the ball."

"So you followed me?" She looks convincingly aghast and surprised.

I nod, and start to pace. The lines flash in my inner eye. "Eliza. We've known each other for barely a day but you have to admit it feels like forever. Eliza," I kneel before her, "Run away with me. There's more to life then high class balls and fancy suitors."

She scoffs, turning her back on me. "Like what?"

"Love. It may sound ridiculous, I sound like revolutionaries down in Paris but I realize what they mean now! Beauty, freedom, truth and love! These all mean something!" I stand up, forcing her to turn around. "Eliza, I Kevin Edward Williams am unconditionally and irretrievably in love with you!"

I take a deep breath, winded from the confession. "Kevin...I..." She looks so innocent, torn between her comfort zone and a love for Kevin. "I...what now?" She whispers the last two words.

I grab the script. "The kiss."

"Oh. Well c'mere then, let's get this over with." How can she possibly be so forward? I've known her for...oh, three months. But it's not like I like her or anything. Really. Um, me not liking her, um, yeah. Anyway. Toph grabs me, brining me close. "Kevin...I...I..."

"Eliza." I murmur her name, I dip my head towards her. For a moment I see Toph shine through Eliza's innocently surprised face. She looks excited...she couldn't possibly like me!

Could she?

"Sokka! Toph! Can Zuko and I work on lines with you?" Katara bursts through the door, with a surly Zuko in tow. They stop. Zuko's eyes open wider than I've ever seen them and Katara's mouth is a giant 'O'. "Sorry!" She squeaks, closing the door behind her. I look back at Toph and I'm surprised by the huge blush across her pale cheeks.

"Well." I say, unable to think of anything else. I realize how close we are, bodies touching, my right hand resting behind her neck. Her hands sit on my chest while my left hand cups her chin. She removes her hands first, taking steps back towards the bed. Her hands grope for her scarf and bag while I stand there awkwardly.

"I have to go." She mutters curtly and opens the door, leaving me alone. Dammit. Either I'm becoming Kevin and falling madly in love with Eliza or I really am starting to like Toph Beifong more than just a friend.

Katara and Zuko are never going to let me hear the end of this.

* * *

**Act Four:** Sokka and Toph kiss

I stand Stage Right and watch Toph, Katara and many extras whirl around the stage, dancing to waltzes. Zuko is to my right as we wait for our cue. "So." he whispers, barely audible above the music. "You and Toph?"

"No. Well. I'm not sure. Oh, here comes our cue."

Toph turns to Katara, blowing flyway bangs from her face. "This is so boring. There's no spice in these men! It's just and endless parades of duke's sons and lord's long lost cousins, they all look the same."

"James, stop fiddling with your clothes. We're gentlemen remember? Just for tonight! Play it cool." I drag Zuko from the side curtains. I spot Toph and Katara and stand up straight, marching purposely towards them. "Ladies." I grab Toph's hand kissing it and smiling at Katara who is, hopefully, pretend blushing at Zuko.

"And you are?" Toph asks.

"I am Sir Kevin Edward Williams, this is my friend James Eisenhart. You are?"

Katara speaks first, moving behind Toph and playing with her hair nervously, "I'm Evelyn Smith. This is Lady Eliza Watson."

"Lady Eliza," I offer my arm. "Would you like to dance?"

"I would." She takes me arm and I start whirling her around the stage. Zuko and Katara move slightly off stage and a spotlight shines down from the rafter, illuminating only Toph and myself.

* * *

"Kevin! What are you doing here?" It's the final scene. The audience waits on the edges of their seats. Evelyn and James have already gotten together, now they only wait with bated breath to see if the main characters will get together.

"I couldn't sleep since I saw you at the ball." I climb through a prop window, lowering myself gently into Eliza's room. Toph is at the other end of the room', clutching her heart.

"So you followed me?"

I walk towards her. "Eliza. We've known each other for barely a day but you have to admit it feels like forever. Eliza," I kneel before her, "Run away with me. There's more to life then high class balls and fancy suitors."

She scoffs, turning her back on me. "Like what?"

"Love. It may sound ridiculous, I sound like revolutionaries down in Paris but I realize what they mean now! Beauty, freedom, truth and love! These all mean something!" I stand up, forcing her to turn around. "Eliza, I Kevin Edward Williams am unconditionally and irretrievably in love with you!"

I take a deep breath, winded from the confession. "Kevin...I..." She looks so innocent, torn between her comfort zone and a love for Kevin. "I..."

This time there is no hesitation. I'm done waiting. I lean down, gently kissing Toph. She lets out a tiny gasp before returning the kiss. The crowd bursts into applause and the curtain falls. We keep kissing as the crew assembles on the stage. As a crack of light appears from under the curtain as it rises we separate and hold hands. When we can see the people sitting in the chairs we take a bow. The clapping doubles and, slowly, people begin to stand up, still clapping.

I look to my right. Toph looks back at me, smiling widely.

It's hard to imagine that the first time I met this girl, she punched me.

I guess love really does hurt.

**The End**

* * *

**A/N**

Yes, that smiley in the first part was totally real. I couldn't think of anything else...D: XD

Guess who got their FOUR wisdom teeth pulled! Swelling face, dissolving stitches and five days of a recovery period!

It's me in case you couldn't figure that one out XD

You could consider this the next story in the 'Teenage Dirtbag' series. Next up is Katara, Aang and Toph.

**Tralala poll! Check it out!**

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PASHA!

Don't forget! My birthday is comin up!


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